Electric annunciator



l(No Model.)

I. E. RICKBY.

ELECTRIC ANNUNGIATOR.

No. 514,686, y Patentedeb. 13,1894.

- vINITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

#ISRAEL E. RICKEY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC ANN U NCIATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,686, dated February 13, 1894.

Application filed May 10,1893- To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ISRAEL E. RICKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, Alameda county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Electric Annunciators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same. v

My invention relates to that class of electric annunciators in which vthe, swinging drop plates are controlled by the armatures of electro magnets. v

It consists in the novel arrangement of the drop plates in connection with the armatures, and in the novelY electrically operated resetting mechanism by which the drop plates are returned to position, all of which I shall hereinafter fully describe and specitically claim.

The objects of my invention are to provide simple and delicately adj usted means for holding and releasing the drop plates, and to reset or return them by means of the electric current, whereby this operation can be performed from convenient positions, thus avoiding the usual approach to and inconvenient attention which is customary.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention-Figure 1 is a front elevation of my ann unciator, the front plate being removed. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the annunciator, three of the plates being shown as dropped. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section, showing one plate dropped and one raised. Fig. 4 is a section on line -x of Fig. l.

A represents any suitable case or frame of the annunciator, having a front a with sight apertures a.

B are the drop plates, the faces of which are suitably inscribed. These are in any suitable number according to the size of the annunciator. I have here shown four. Each plate is carried by a pivoted freely swinging bail C, which permits the plate to be held up out of sight normally, and to drop down to position behind its sight aperture. Behind each plate is an electro magnet D, having a vertical armature E, pivoted below at e in such position that the armature tends, by gravity to drop forwardly away from itsmagnet. The drop plate when lifted passes up in front of the armature which rests by gravity behind it, and

serial No. 473.696. (No model.)

when the top is reached, the plate slips over said top, which has a slight lip at e', whereby the plate in resting upon said top willbe delicately supported and will atl the same time hold the armature. Suitable circuits include these magnets and the corresponding push buttons F, which I have here shown in the top of the box or frame A, though it is understood that they will be located at proper points within the building in which the annunciator is used. Now when a magnet D is energized, it will draw its armature E inwardly, so that the top of the armature slips from under the lower edge of the drop plate B, resting upon it, and said plate will drop to a vertical position in which it will be seen behind its sight aperture. When the armature is released from its magnet it drops by gravity forwardly and rests against and behind the plate, and the latter upon being raised will slip up by it until it rests its lower edge upon the top of the armature.

In the upper portion of the case or frame A is a large electro magnet G, included in a proper circuit to a push button H, which is here shown in the case or box, though it is to be understood that it will be suitably located in convenient position tor the observer who attends to the resetting of the annunciator. Under this magnet is a pivoted armature I, which is connected by a link J with apivoted lever K in the lower portion of the case or frame A. Secured to this lever is a lift bar L having cross arms M which pass under the bails C of the drop plates B. I place aweight W on the end of the armature I to serve as a counterbalance. Now, when a plate B drops it is limited by its bail C falling and resting upon one of the arms M of the lift bar L. To reset the plate, the attendant presses button H, and thereupon the magnet Gr being energized, its armature I willbe lifted and through the connections described, the lift bar L will be raised and its arm M, bearing under the bail C of the drop plate will raise said plate. As soon as the button is relieved, the parts ofthe resetting mechanism return by gravity to initial position. In this operation the counterbalance weight leaves nothing for the magnet G to do except the work of raising the drop plate, which being quite light, ywill not require much force. Thus any or all the plates IOO may be reset electrically and from the most convenient locations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric annunciator, the combination of a drop plate having a swinging bail, an armature pivoted below said plate and adapted to swing outward, an electro-magnet located at the rear of said armature, and means for electrically resetting the drop plate consisting of an electro-magnet, a pivoted armature, a pivoted lever, a link connecting said lever with the armature, a vertically guided lift bar pivoted to the free end of said lever and provided with a cross arm to engage and raise the swinging bail carrying the drop plate, substantially as herein described.

2. In an electric annunciator, the combination of a drop -plate having a swinging bail, an armature pivoted below said bail and adapted to swing outward and provided at its upper end with a lip, an electro-magnet located at the rear of said armature, said armature adapted by gravity to fall away from its magnet and to rest on the back of the drop plate when the latter is fallen, to receive and support by its lip the lower edge of the plate when raised, and to trip it when attracted by its magnet, and means for electrically resetting said plate upon the said lip consisting of an electro-magnet, a pivoted armature, a pivoted lever, a link connecting said lever with the armature, a vertically guided lift bar pivoted to the free end of said lever and provided with a cross arm to engage and raise the swinging bail to lift the plate in position on the lip, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have 'hereunto set my hand.

ISRAEL E. RICKEY. Witnesses:

S. l-I. NoURsE, J. II. BAYLEss. 

